News

School recognized for innovative new programs

Ed/Op

Staff Editorial
Digital not sole answer

Editorial Notebook
Stand up to Times New Roman

Editorial Notebook
Smoke clouds RPI experience

Letter to the Editor
Public Safety expresses gratitude for assistance

Presidents Corner
Campus health services noted

A View from the Real World
Setting goals, having fun keys to success in reality

My View
Attitude will make or break EMPAC

Run for student government

Graduate Council
Graduate elections coming up soon

Sororities support fraternities holding dry events

Derby
Student government participation brings rewards

Features

Troy couture

Atkinson plays Mother’s on Friday, Saturday

Solving problems part of Smith’s job

Professor Boylan nominated for Person of Year

Dave Barry
“Duck” reads to daughter

Sports

Women’s basketball storms into NCAA tourney

Engineers still hoping for home ice after weekend split

Men swim into fifth at state meet

Men’s basketball falls just short of NCAA bid

Rensselaer Athletic Notables

Rensselaer in Brief
Jackson, Tien honored
Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson, and James Tien ’66, professor and chair of decision sciences and engineering systems, have been recently elected to membership in the National Academy of Engineering.

Election to the Academy is one of the highest honors that an engineer can receive. According to NAE President William A. Wulf, Academy membership recognizes those who have made "important contributions to engineering theory and practice, and those who have demonstrated unusual accomplishment in the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology."

Jackson was recognized for contributions made to industry research, education, and her work in the formation of the International Nuclear Regulators Association.

Tien was elected to the Academy for methodologies to improve public service and education and for contributions to the development and application of systems engineering concepts.

New trustee named
The Institute’s Board of Trustees elected James C. Mullen ’80, president and CEO of Biogen, as a new active trustee during its February meeting last weekend. Mullen will be serving a four-year term through December 2004.

"I am honored to be named to the Board of Trustees. I am looking forward to being a part of the changes that are taking place under The Rensselaer Plan. President Jackson is a new energy for the Institute and her goal of establishing a strength in biotechnology overlaps nicely with my professional focus," said Mullen.

Mullen was appointed the president and chief executive officer of Biogen—a global pharmaceutical company that is the oldest international biotechnology company—in June 2000 and is also currently a member of their board of directors.

He joined the company as the director of facilities and engineering in 1989 and was named the vice president of operations in 1992.

From 1996 to 1996 Mullen served as Biogen’s vice president international and was named vice president and COO of Biogen in 1999.

As the vice president of operations, Mullen helped launch AVONEX, Biogen’s flagship product for treatment of relapsing forms of sclerosis and oversaw the installation of Biogen’s manufacturing capability in Research Triangle Park, N.C., and Cambridge, Mass.

During his tenure as vice president international, Mullen was chiefly responsible for Biogen’s successful registration and launch of AVONEX throughout Europe.

Mullen is credited with the creation of Biogen’s direct sales organization in Europe, the largest in the biotechnology industry.

From 1980 to 1989, Mullen held several engineering and manufacturing positions at SmithKline Beecham, including director of engineering. He has a B.S. in chemical engineering from RPI and a M.B.A. from Villanova University.

Architects chosen
The contract to design the Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies Building at Rensselaer was awarded recently to a joint venture of two architectural firms, Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann Associates in Butler, Penn., and Bohlin Cywinski Jackson in Pittsburgh.

"Our selection of such premiere architectural firms with their distinctive success in the design of research facilities is indicative of our commitment to the best in academic research and to the beauty of our campus and our community," said Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson.

Planned to be approximately 200,000 square feet, the facility will be constructed on 15th Street, adjacent to the CII and north of Academy Hall. When completed, the building will be comparable in size to the JEC and the CII.

The cost of the construction and design of the building is expected to be between $60 million and $70 million and will be financed in part by the anonymous gift of $130 million donated to the Institute in December. Groundbreaking is expected early in 2002.

The architectural firms involved in the project have previously collaborated on such projects as the $21.9 million Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University.

Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann designed the University of Pittsburgh’s $88 million Biomedical Science Tower, and the University of Maryland’s $34.6 million Center for Advanced Research in Biotechnology. Bohlin Cywinski Jackson designed the $49 million Natural Sciences Laboratory Building at the University of California.

Several of the architects who will work on the project are alumni of RPI, including Dick Rittelmann ’60, principal-in-charge, Peter Bohlin ’58, design architect, Jon Jackson ’73, lead architect, Harry Gordon ’73, and Michael Maiese ’90.

"This is a wonderful combination: Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann—one of the nation’s leading research practices, not only for their work in building advanced labs but in being part of the fundamental research that is changing lab practice—and the exceptionally gifted practice of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, with whom they have worked over many years," said Alan Balfour, dean of the School of Architecture. "This team will not only produce a work of science but a work of art."